Electric recreational vehicle

Abstract

A electric vehicle including a plurality of ground engaging members, a frame assembly supported by the plurality of ground engaging members, the frame assembly including a front frame assembly, a middle frame assembly, and a rear frame assembly, a seating area supported by the middle frame assembly, electric powertrain components supported by the frame assembly to provide power to at least one ground engaging member, and a shrouding assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electric vehicle having a vehicle maximum lateral width, the electric vehicle comprising:
 a plurality of ground engaging members;   a frame assembly supported by the plurality of ground engaging members, the frame assembly including a front frame assembly, a middle frame assembly, and a rear frame assembly;   a seating area supported by the middle frame assembly;   a roll cage extending over the seating area;   electric powertrain components supported by the frame assembly, the electric powertrain components including an electric motor and a drive train operative to provide power from the electric motor to at least one ground engaging member; and   a shrouding assembly coupled to the rear frame assembly, the shrouding assembly having a maximum shrouding lateral width, the maximum shrouding lateral width being less than the vehicle maximum lateral width, wherein the shrouding assembly includes a top shroud portion extending across a top of the electric powertrain components, and the top shroud portion includes an air conduit formed on a lower side and a fan positioned to move air through the air conduit.   
     
     
         2 . The electric vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the shrouding assembly includes a left side shroud portion extending from a lower portion of the rear frame assembly to an upper portion of the rear frame assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The electric vehicle of  claim 2 , further comprising a left rear suspension moveably coupling a first one of the plurality of ground engaging members to the frame assembly, the left rear suspension including first suspension arm moveably coupled to the frame assembly and a second suspension arm moveably coupled to the frame assembly independent of the first suspension arm, wherein the left side shroud portion is positioned completely forward of a first connection point of the first suspension arm to the frame assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The electric vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the top shroud portion extends across a longitudinal centerline of the electric vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The electric vehicle of  claim 4 , further comprising a cargo bed supported by the rear frame assembly, the top shroud portion extending under the cargo bed. 
     
     
         6 . The electric vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the top shroud portion is coupled to the rear frame assembly independent of the cargo bed. 
     
     
         7 . An electric vehicle having a vehicle maximum lateral width, the electric vehicle comprising:
 a plurality of ground engaging members;   
       a frame assembly supported by the plurality of ground engaging members, the frame assembly including a front frame assembly, a middle frame assembly, and a rear frame assembly;
 a first rear suspension having a first suspension arm moveably coupled to the frame assembly and a second suspension arm moveably coupled to the frame assembly independent of the first suspension arm, the first suspension coupling a first ground engaging member of the plurality of ground engaging members to the frame assembly; 
 a seating area supported by the middle frame assembly; 
 a roll cage extending over the seating area; 
 a cargo box coupled to the frame assembly; 
 electric powertrain components supported by the frame assembly, the electric powertrain components including an electric motor and a drive train operative to provide power from the electric motor to at least one ground engaging member; and 
 a shrouding assembly coupled to the rear frame assembly, the shrouding assembly including a top portion extending across a top of the electric powertrain components and across a longitudinal centerline of the electric vehicle and a first side portion extending downward from the top portion, wherein the top portion includes an air conduit formed on a lower side and a fan positioned to move air through the air conduit. 
 
     
     
         8 . The electric vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the first side portion is completely forward of a first connection of the first suspension arm to the frame assembly. 
     
     
         9 . An electric vehicle comprising:
 a plurality of ground engaging members;   a frame assembly supported by the plurality of ground engaging members, the frame assembly including a front frame assembly, a middle frame assembly, and a rear frame assembly;   a seating area supported by the middle frame assembly;   a cargo bed supported by the rear frame assembly; and   an electric powertrain supported by the frame assembly, the electric powertrain including:
 one or more batteries positioned under the seating area; 
 a unit mounted to the frame assembly through a plurality of mounts, the unit including:
 at least one frame member; 
 an electric motor electrically coupled to the one or more batteries and coupled to the at least one frame member; 
 a transmission coupled to the at least one frame member; and 
 a flexible endless coupler operatively coupling an output of the electric motor to an input of the transmission; 
 
 a driveshaft operative to provide power from the transmission to at least one ground engaging member; and 
   a shrouding assembly coupled to the frame assembly, wherein the shrouding assembly includes a top shroud member extending across a top of the unit and the top shroud member includes an air conduit formed on a lower side and a fan positioned to move air through the air conduit.   
     
     
         10 . The electric vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the electric motor is carried by a cradle which is rotatably coupled to the at least one frame member. 
     
     
         11 . The electric vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the unit includes at least one tensioner which rotates the electric motor away from the transmission to increase a tension on the flexible endless connector. 
     
     
         12 . The electric vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the top shroud member and the electric motor cooperate to form a second air conduit over a top of the electric motor. 
     
     
         13 . The electric vehicle of  claim 12 , wherein air passing through the second air conduit enters the air conduit of the top shroud member. 
     
     
         14 . The electric vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the unit further comprises a motor controller operatively coupled to the electric motor and a cooling system to regulate a temperature of the electric motor. 
     
     
         15 . The electric vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the cooling system is air cooled. 
     
     
         16 . The electric vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the cooling system is liquid cooled. 
     
     
         17 . The electric vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the cooling system includes a radiator positioned rearward of the fan of the top shroud member. 
     
     
         18 . The electric vehicle of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a light bar supported by the frame assembly, the light bar including a plurality of individually controllable zones including a first central zone, a second zone having a first second zone section on a first side of the first central zone and a second zone section on a second side of the first central zone, and a third zone having a first third zone section on the first side of the first central zone and a second third zone section on the second side of the first central zone; and   a lighting controller operatively coupled to each of the first central zone, the second zone, and the third zone of the light bar, the lighting controller controls at least one illumination characteristic of each of the first central zone, the second zone, and the third zone of the light bar to indicate a charging status of the one or more batteries of electric powertrain.   
     
     
         19 . The electric vehicle of  claim 9 , further comprising a cable holder coupled to the at least one frame member, and a plurality of cables operably coupled to the one or more batteries and positioned within the cable holder.